AMA Pro Flat Track Announces Partnership with Cometic Gasket for 2014-2015 Grand National Championship Seasons

In less than 72 hours, the first race of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season will be upon us as riders hit the track for the first practice sessions of the day on Thursday, March 13, and AMA Pro Flat Track has a new partnering sponsor on board to better help the teams for the next two seasons.

Cometic Gasket was today announced as the new partner/sponsor for The Rolling Thunder Show and they will bring their expertise to each of the 16 rounds on the series' calendar this season and into next year. Cometic will be on-hand at each of the National races to help the racers and teams involved in the teardown process after each of the main events finishes up and the top finishing teams are required to teardown their motors for inspection purposes.

In the shot above taken at the final National main at the Springfield Short Track on September 15, 2012, heat race #2 roars off the line in round 12 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season as the riders roll it on in hopes of making the 18-rider main inside the Illinois State Fairgrounds Multipurpose Arena.

(L-R) Matt Weidman on his #20 DFW Honda/SNIP-sponsored CRF450R, Steve Bonsey on his #80 Alpinestars/Mack Daddy Racing Honda, Jethro Halbert on his #69 Van's Yamaha/Woody Kyle Racing YZ450F (partially hidden behind Bonsey), Chad Cose on his #49 Chad Cose Racing/Reynolds Bros. Honda, Briar Bauman on the #10Z Rod Lake/Arai Helmets Honda and Brad Baker on his #12 Brothers Powersports/Schenk Racing Enterprises Honda spin it up as they head towards turn one.

Also seen coming off row 2 in this shot are Justin Hittle on his #81 Bob Berry Racing/Grayboy Motorsports Honda, Shaun Russell on his #28 self-sponsored Honda and Mikey Martin on the #91 Bonneville Performance/WKR Honda.

You can check out the full press release below that came out earlier today from the folks on Fentress Boulevard in Daytona Beach on the new signing for The Rolling Thunder Show as we all get ready to welcome all the riders, teams, sponsors and fans back to the action in what is gearing up to be another action packed season in the greatest racing series on two wheels in the world this coming Thursday and Friday, March 13-14 as the boys and girls of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship get ready to pour the coals on for another big kick-off at the Daytona Short Track. Let's go racing folks! 

AMA Pro Racing Announces Partnership with Cometic for 2014 and 2015 AMA Pro Flat Track Seasons

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 10, 2014) - Officials from AMA Pro Racing and Cometic Gasket, Inc., have announced a two-year partnership for the 2014 and 2015 AMA Pro Flat Track seasons. As part of the partnership, Cometic will provide four custom tents to be deployed in the AMA Pro Flat Track inspection area, as well as free replacement gasket sets for any rider whose engine is disassembled as part of the tech inspection process.   "We are very excited about this new official partnership with Cometic," said Dan Johnsen, Director of AMA Pro Flat Track. "Cometic has been in our paddock for several years now and they have been extremely reliable and beneficial to us. It's imperative to have replacement gaskets available for when a rider's engine gets disassembled during a technical inspection and we're glad to have Cometic provide this service."       Jared Mees is shown on the #1 Rogers Racing XR-750 during the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season. AMA Pro Flat Track today announced their new partnership with Cometic Gasket for the next two seasons to help riders and teams involved in the teardown areas of technical inspection at each of the National main event programs. AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.           The large co-branded tents will be pitched for the first time this week as the DAYTONA Flat Track once again plays host to the AMA Pro Flat Track season opener as the series kicks off the 2014 season with a doubleheader on the quarter-mile lime rock track located outside Daytona International Speedway's west banking on March 13-14, 2014.   For tickets and more information, please visit http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.   About Cometic Gasket, Inc.:   Cometic Gasket, Inc., is a leading worldwide supplier of shelf-stock, custom and short-run gaskets for the performance aftermarket, original equipment, powersports andmotorsports industries. What originally began in 1989, in an 800 square-foot office with limited production capabilities, has evolved into a 70,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing center.  Cometic Gasket is 100 percent family-owned and located 30 miles east of Cleveland in Concord Township, Ohio. Today, Cometic produces and ships more than 5,000 types of gaskets to customers worldwide.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines.  Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.   For additional information contact:   AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com

 

AMA Pro Flat Track Announces Live Streaming Video to be Available at all Remaining Rounds of 2013 Season

In what can only be some of the best news to cross the wire in some time, AMA Pro Flat Track and it's operators, the Daytona Motorsports Group, today announced the addition of Live Streaming Video for the remaining scheduled 13 rounds of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season.

Beginning with this weekend's upcoming round 3 at the Stockton Half-Mile on May 11, AMA Pro Flat Track will utilize two cameras at each event (with more scheduled to be added in the future) that will stream video of each event, starting from the first practice session of the day and continuing until the end of each event throughout the 2013 season.

With this announcement, all fans of The Rolling Thunder Show will now be able to keep up with all of the action at the track, coupled with AMA Pro Flat Track's Live Timing interface, that will allow fans not being able to attend each event to follow along with the action as it happens right at the track.

A BIG bravo and tip of the helmet to the great folks in Daytona that run and operate the greatest racing series on two wheels in the world for coming through for the friends and fans of AMA Pro Flat Track in being able to provide everyone with this great service.  Thank you for your efforts and for this great endeavor in bringing the fans closer to the action in what is surely to be a great and rewarding experience for all involved-and especially, the fans!

To help usher in this great announcement today, the shot above comes to you from round 4 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season at the Springfield Mile I event on May 27 from last season, as the riders get ready to roll in the first Twins Series event of the year in Stockton, CA. this coming Saturday.

(L-R)  Row two consists of--Johnny Lewis on the #10 Scott Powersports Kawasaki.  Lewis, who left the series last year after only competing in the first six events of the year, returns to action this weekend with his new team on the Latus Motors Racing Triumph.  Next to JL10 is 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Singles Series Champion, Sammy Halbert, on his #7 South East H-D XR750.  The Slammer will also be back in action for the first time this season at Stockton after having to sit out the opening rounds of the season at Daytona due to recovering from his injuries suffered during the off-season.

Up next is one of the first ladies of flat track, Ms. Nichole Cheza on the #15 Global Products XR750.  Fans need not fear, as Ms. Nichole is on the pre-entry list and will be riding her Global Products XR at Stockton this weekend.  The newest addition to the points leader list, Daytona Short Track II winner Brandon Robinson on the #44 Werner-Springsteen Racing Kawasaki will be leading the field of contenders into Stockton along with his TJ Burnett Farms Kawasaki team this Saturday after starting the season out on a big hot streak.

Jethro Halbert, older brother of Sammy, lines up next on the #69 Goodwin Racing XR750.  Jethro just completed the purchase of the former Kenny Tolbert Racing Kawasakis that were campaigned for one event last season at Springfield by Brad Baker and will be ready to go come Saturday, as well.  And filling out row 2 is former AMA Pro Singles competitor, Mikey Avila on the #33E SDI/Bisha Racing XR750.  Word has it that Avila has retired from the sport and has entered the military.  He'll surely be missed, as other then former AMA Pro Singles Champions Baker, Jeffrey Carver, Jr., Mikey Martin and Stephen Vanderkuur, Avila was the most competitive and highest ranking finisher in the series since it's inception in the 2009 season.

Row 3 has Henry Wiles on the #17 Lloyd Brothers Motorsports/Ramspur Winery Ducati, and as reported last week The Hammer will be aboard a newly-built XR750 courtesy of LBM's new crew chief, Brent Armbruster this weekend.  After his double Singles Series Championships in '09-'10, Wiles also has two solid half-mile wins on XR equipment at Pomona in '09 and Lima in 2010, so without a doubt this will make Henry a top pick right out of the hat for this weekend's race.

Out of Morton, IL., also known as the home of the Caterpillar Company, is Rob Pearson on the #27 Memphis Shades XR.  Pearson will be aboard either one of the Weirbach Racing mounts this weekend as they announced back in December his addition to their team.  Richard Weirbach announced the other day on Facebook they were loading up their XR and Suzuki SV650-based Twins Series mounts for the weekend, and should have their new Kawasaki ready in time for Springfield on May 26.

Steve Bonsey sits alongside Pearson on the #80 Dodge Brothers XR, and also announced he will be on-hand at Stockton this Saturday, although at this time we're not sure of what he will be throwing a leg over yet.  Whatever that may be, SB80 will be in the mix as he's been working out and getting ready for the new season!

And last but not least, Clermont, Indiana's Dan Ingram lines up for what was his first return to the Twins Series since his near career-ending crash at Springfield in 1993.  Dapper Dan is astride the #31J TCR/Zanna Racing H-D XR750, and is on his way to Stockton as this is being written, as reported yesterday, to campaign the Brush/Eaken Racing XRs this weekend, and then the team's Kawasaki come Springfield in just over two weeks.

So strap in, hang on and get ready to fire up your laptop or pc, as the greatest racing series on two wheels in the world is set to go at it in just over 72 hours at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds in Stockton, as The Rolling Thunder Show heads west to do battle in one of the new facilities and venues on the series schedule.

Again, a big thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track for the newly-announced Live Streaming Video for the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season, which you can read more about in the full press release below!

AMA Pro Live to Provide Streaming Video Coverage of 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Events

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 8, 2013) - AMA Pro Racing is pleased to announce that the AMA Pro Live streaming video system will be broadcasting at all AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles events in 2013.  AMA Pro Live is a multi-channel streaming video system that puts the fan in the director's chair, allowing them to select from a variety of cameras located around the racetrack while monitoring live timing and scoring data and social media feeds.  The online system can be accessed through a web browser from any computer, tablet or mobile device by navigating to http://www.amaprolive.com.

 

"This is an exciting step for our sport," said Michael Gentry, Chief Operating Officer of AMA Pro Racing.  "The ability to live stream our events will help us reach a crucial demographic and provide coverage of the sport globally.  Our staff has worked long and hard on this system and we are proud to be able to provide live streaming for the fans this season."

 

Initially, AMA Pro Live's implementation at AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles events will consist of two video channels alongside live timing and scoring and social media feeds, providing complete coverage from the first practice until the final checkered flag. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeffrey Carver, Jr, #23, Doug Lawrence #73, Johnny Lewis #10, Sammy Halbert #7, Jake Johnson #1 and Jared Mees #9 roar off the line during the Dash for Cash event at the Hagerstown Half-Mile, round 6 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season on July 7.  The Daytona Motorsports Group, operators of the greatest racing show on two wheels in the world, AMA Pro Flat Track, announced today the addition of Live Streaming Video for the remaining scheduled 13 rounds of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season, starting with this weekend's Stockton Half-Mile on Saturday, May 11.  AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.

 

 

The first channel will feature a camera mounted in the P.A. booth overlooking all of the action, and will include an audio feed of Scottie Deubler and Barry Boone providing play-by-play analysis of the racing.  The second camera will be located trackside near the start-finish line, giving fans a close-up view of the day's racing activity and allowing them to hear the thunder of the motorcycles as they roar around the track.  Additional channels are planned for future events, including a roaming camera in the pits and on-board cameras mounted on the motorcycles.

 

AMA Pro Live will be live streaming content from all rounds on the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles schedule.  For those that can't make it to the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds in Stockton, Calif. for this weekend's Stockton Half-Mile, this link - http://www.amaprolive.com - will grant them direct access to AMA Pro Live and allow them to follow along as the event unfolds.  Live streaming of practice and qualifying is set to begin Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 3:30 p.m. EST (12:30 p.m. PST), with opening ceremonies for the main event set to begin at 10:00 p.m. EST (7:00 p.m. PST).

 

It's just a matter of days until the stars of AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles roll out their twin-cylinder machines for the first time this season.  For tickets and more information on the Stockton Half-Mile, please visit http://www.showclix.com/events/17007.

 

About AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles:

 

AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles is a national motorcycle racing series in North America and is considered one of the oldest forms of motorcycle racing. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the Series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track racing in the world.  The 2013 schedule consists of rounds on the country's finest flat track courses.  For more information on AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles, please visit http://www.amaproracing.com/ft/.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines.  Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com .   For additional information contact:   AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com

AMA Pro Flat Track: Kiesow Racing & Jeffrey Carver, Jr. #23 Team Up Again for 2013 Season

A promising announcement out of the Kiesow Racing and Jeffrey Carver, Jr. camps was made earlier this week when it was announced that they would be teaming-up again for the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season.  Carver, the 2010 AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles Champion, will again be aboard the ultra-sano Kiesow Racing Harley-Davidson XR750s for the 10-confirmed Twins Series events and three others that are yet to be announced and/or confirmed.

After campaigning the 2011 season under the tutelage of long-time flat track tuner Eddie Adkins (riding the same mounts that Henry Wiles used to win the Lima Half-Mile in June '10), Carver had a decent year in his Rookie Expert season, finishing the year ranked as the 12th-place rider in the series with a best finish of 7th-place at the I-96 Speedway round in Lake Odessa, MI.  Carver ended the year ranked as the second-best rookie in The Rolling Thunder Show behind Saddlemen Rookie of the Year, Brad 'The Bullet' Baker.

Teaming with the Kiesow Racing team for the 2012 season, along with Eddie Adkins again helping out with the wrench turning ,Carver and the blue and orange XRs stepped it up and came out fighting for his sophomore campaign and finished the season ranked as the 8th-place rider in AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship competition.  Carver only missed two Nationals during his 2012 campaign (Daytona Short Track I, Tucson Half-Mile) in the 16-race season after missing 7 of 20 races in his rookie season of '11.

In the shot above from round 4 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Springfield Mile I, Carver rolls out ahead of the practice pack on the #23 Kiesow Racing/Hall's Cycles/Eddie Adkins/Sponseller-backed XR750.  In his first race on the team's XR, Carver brought it home in the 9th-place slot at the Illinois State Fairgrounds Memorial Day Weekend mile event.

Also seen in the shot are eventual event-winner Willie McCoy on his #59 Harley-Davidson of Wausau/Independence H-D/Tucker Rocky/Arai-sponsored XR, Nichole Cheza on the #15 Global Products/Harley-Davidson Co/Black Hill's H-D/Mr. Sign Yonkers, New York-backed XR, Luke Gough on the #62 Dick Ford/Skip Eaken Racing/Johnson Cams/KK Motorcycle Supply-sponsored Kawasaki, and Jethro Halbert on the #69 Goodwin Racing/Drew Massa Trans/SHR/Arai-sponsored XR.

Round 5 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season saw Jeffrey Carver, Jr. on the podium after taking the #23 Kiesow Racing/Hall's Cycles/Eddie Adkins/Carver's BBQ-sponsored XR to his first-ever Twins Series heat race win (and his second-ever direct pass to the Dash for Cash) at the running of the Ohio National Championship round at the Lima Half-Mile.  Carver upped his best-ever finish in a Grand National main later that evening to bring the Kiesow Racing #23 XR home in the 7th-place spot after finishing in 5th-place in the Dash.

Carver and the team look to move things up a notch for the upcoming 2013 season after their 8th-place ranking from last season, and there's no reason to believe it won't happen with the team's immaculate preparation of their equipment and Carver's never-say-die resolve to run things up another rung on the ladder when he's on the track.

We wish them the very best of luck this year and are looking forward to seeing more out of this great pairing!  

Thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track for this press release from Kiesow Racing concerning their plans to team with Jeffrey Carver, Jr. again for the 2013 season.

You can check out Kiesow Racing's Facebook page here.

And here's Jeffrey Carver, Jr.'s Facebook page to peruse.

AMA Pro Flat Track Announces Confirmed Dates for 2013 Season

Riders and team members make final preparations as the machines are brought to life in order to do battle at round 4 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Springfield Mile I on May 27.

Jared Mees on the #9 Rogers Racing/Blue Springs H-D-sponsored XR750, Luke Gough on the #62 Skip Eaken/Roeder Racing-backed Kawasaki 650R, Bryan Smith on the #42 Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports-backed rocket Kawi, Willie McCoy on his #59 H-D of Wausau/Independence H-D-sponsored XR, Jake Johnson on the #1 Zanotti Racing/Schaeffer's H-D-backed XR and Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. on the #2 Screamin' Eagle/H-D Motor Co-sponsored factory XR750 fill out the front row in what would be another exciting 25-lap National main at the Illinois State Fairgrounds mile oval.

In welcome news out of Daytona Beach today, AMA Pro Flat Track has announced the confirmed dates for the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season in what is surely the earliest announcement of a solid calendar by AMA Pro Flat Track in the last three seasons. 

Fourteen dates that have been confirmed include among others, the season-opening rounds at Daytona in March, a return to the Peoria TT in August followed by the Lucas Oil Indy Mile, the annual treks to the Springfield Mile over Memorial Day and Labor Day, and the season-ending round in Pomona in mid-October.

AMA Pro Flat Track is still working to secure two rounds in Arizona at the beginning and end of the season and is also working on bringing another event to Ohio, strongly rumored to be a return to the Greenville Half-Mile which was on the schedule several years ago. 

A rumored return to I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, MI. was no where to be mentioned on the schedule, although after the fall-out from the last-minute cancelation of this year's round most likely having some bearing as to whether AMA Pro Flat Track was willing to chance another go around with the track and/or promoters, although that is strictly speculation after the rumor was floated that there may have been a return to I-96.  Note--for the second year in a row, this leaves the schedule without any rounds in Michigan, home to many of the current and a large handful of former champions and competitors.

The west coast is getting an extra burst for the 2013 calendar, with the return of the classic Castle Rock TT, Santa Rosa and Sacto Miles, as well as two new half-mile venures in Elma, Washington and Stockton, California.

Thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track for the full press release below which details all of the announced dates for 2013 thus far.

AMA Pro Racing Announces Confirmed Dates on 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Schedule

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (December 10, 2012) - AMA Pro Racing is pleased to announce 14 confirmed events on the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track schedule. In addition to the events listed below, AMA Pro Racing plans to make announcements on three additional events in the near future.

All of the AMA Pro Flat Track events in 2013 will once again feature non-stop entertainment and thrilling motorcycle racing action from the AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com and AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles classes. Of the confirmed events announced today, Harley-Davidson Insurance GNC Expert Singles will compete at four of the rounds, broken down into two Short Tracks and two Tourist Trophies, while the mighty Expert Twins will contest the remaining 10 rounds, consisting of five Half-Mile and five Mile tracks. Fans can also expect to watch as the sport's finest up-and-coming talent battle for fame and glory in Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles races.

 

On March 14-15, 2013, DAYTONA® Flat Track will once again play host to the AMA Pro Flat Track opener as the series kicks off the 2013 season with a doubleheader on the quarter-mile lime rock track located outside Daytona International Speedway's west banking. At the 2012 season opener, fans witnessed two riders taking their breakout Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship wins, with Johnny Lewis holding off the charging field for his first in the Thursday night final and Matt Weidman taking the checkered flag over eventual 2012 series champ Jared Mees in Friday's main event.

Next up, the series will make a stop in Arizona on May 4, 2013 at a TBA event before heading to Stockton, Calif.'s Half-Mile track at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds on May 11, 2013. The event will mark the first time AMA Pro Flat Track races on the all-new Half-Mile track located within the historic Stockton Mile and it's sure to bring northern California some of the most exciting motorcycle racing action in the world.

It wouldn't be a complete season if AMA Pro Flat Track didn't visit Springfield, Ill. The legendary Springfield Mile has served as one of the most historic venues and is considered to be one of the most coveted wins on the circuit. When the fire-breathing twins roll off the trucks at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on May 26, 2013, this go-around is sure to add even more excitement to the legacy of the storied event.

 

Another TBA event is scheduled in Ohio on June 8, 2013 before the series heads to another historically significant and action-packed circuit on June 29, 2013. Dating back to 1984, AMA Pro Flat Track has made the trek to Lima, Ohio to take on the "cushion" Half-Mile at the Allen County Fairgrounds, and this year will be no exception.

 

 

Bryan Smith #42 leads Sammy Halbert #7, Jake Johnson #1, Willie McCoy #59 and the rest of the field coming out of turn 4 at the running of the Springfield Mile II at round 13 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Champioship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season.  AMA Pro Racing announced the confirmed dates for the 2013 season today.  AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.

 

Just after the Fourth of July holiday, the Series will make a swing near the Nation's capital on July 6, 2013 as Hagerstown, Md.'s Hagerstown Speedway will host the only round on the east coast that features what is typically a very smooth, and very fast, half-mile track. Jared Mees grabbed his lone win in 2012 over local-favorite Jake Johnson at last year's event, and the defending champ will likely have his hands full when the star-studded line-up gets to the grid again next season.

The second west-coast tour begins on July 20, 2013 with a Half-Mile event at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash, followed by the always-incredible Sacramento Mile at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds in Sacramento, Calif. on July 27, 2013. That leg will conclude with a drive up the coast, where the AMA Pro Flat Track stars will hop back on their 450cc singles at the Castle Rock Race Park TT in Castle Rock, Wash. on August 3, 2013.

 

Next up is another TT, and the granddaddy of them all, scheduled for one week later at Peoria Race Park in Peoria, Ill. on August 11, 2013. The Peoria TT has been a staple on the Grand National circuit since 1947 and still packs the hillsides with spectators eager to watch the high-flying singles take to the track. Watch out for Henry Wiles, who collected his eighth consecutive victory at the legendary venue last year and seems to be unbeatable here.

The Indy Mile at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Ind., returns to the 2013 schedule on August 17, 2013 and the event will once again coincide with both the Indiana State Fair and MotoGP's state-side return for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Labor Day Weekend means a return to the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Ill. for the second Springfield Mile on the calendar; the September 1st event is the final 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track event scheduled east of the Mississippi river.

AMA Pro Flat Track will once again head west to the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa to battle it out against the beautiful backdrop of the Santa Rosa Mile. In last year's contest, Sammy Halbert grabbed his fourth win of the season in front of a packed house, and the 2012 runner-up will definitely be looking to match his winning result on September 29, 2013.

The last to-be-announced event on the schedule is slotted for October 5, 2012 in Arizona before the 2013 AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com schedule comes to a close - and fan-favorite Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. looks to repeat his commanding victory - on the half-mile track at the LA County Fairplex in Pomona, Calif on October 12, 2013.

2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Schedule:

March 14th	DAYTONA Flat Track I	DAYTONA Flat Track Daytona Beach, Fla.	Short Track
March 15th	DAYTONA Flat Track II	DAYTONA Flat Track Daytona Beach, Fla.	Short Track
May 4th	TBA	Arizona
May 11th	Stockton Half-Mile	San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, Stockton, Calif.	Half-Mile
May 26th	Springfield Mile	Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Ill.	Mile
June 8th	TBA	Ohio
June 29th	Lima Half-Mile	Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, Ohio	Half-Mile
July 6th	Hagerstown, Half-Mile	Hagerstown Speedway, Md.	Half-Mile
July 20th	Grays Harbor Raceway	Grays Harbor, Elma, Wash.	Half-Mile
July 27th	Sacramento Mile	Cal Expo, Sacramento, Calif.	Mile
August 3rd	Castle Rock TT	Castle Rock Race Park, Castle Rock Wash.	TT
August 11th	Peoria TT	PMC Race Park, Peoria, Ill.	TT
August 17th	Indy Mile	Indiana State Fairground, Indianapolis, Ind.	Mile
September 1st	Springfield Mile II	Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Ill.	Mile
September 29th	Santa Rosa Mile	Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Santa Rosa, Calif.	Mile
October 5th	TBA	Arizona
October 12th	Flat Track Season Finale	LA County Fairplex, Pomona, Calif.	Half-Mile

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.  For additional information contact: AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com

AMA Flat Track: Stevie Bonsey Takes the #80 Goodwin Racing XR750 to the Win at Tucson Half-Mile in Penultimate Round of the 2012 Season

Racing for his fourth team this season, Stevie Bonsey took the #80 Goodwin Racing XR750 to the win last night at the Tucson Half-Mile, round 15 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season.  The Salinas, California resident set the fast heat time win while winning heat one to establish himself as the man to beat at the Arizona venue, and proceeded to control the evening's events by winning the Dash for Cash and leading all 25 laps in the National main event.

Bonsey, who campaigns his own equipment in the Singles Series races with the help of George Mack of Mack Daddy Racing, also has run a couple of events this season on the Dodge Brothers XR team, a handful of events for the Werner-Springsteen Kawasaki/Monster Energy/Alpinestars/Arai-sponsored 650R-based mount (shown above after winning semi race #2 at the Springfield Mile II on September 16) and now with the Goodwin Racing effort.  This guy must have his bagged packed all year long with all the great teams and efforts he has campaigned this season, and other then Brad Baker must be the most-traveled of riders in The Rolling Thunder Show this year. 

This is a great win for the young man once promoted as Kenny Roberts' protege.  After winning the 2009 AMA Pro Flat Track Rookie of the Year Award, Bonsey won his first-ever Grand National at the Calistoga Half-Mile in late July '10, and now doubles his win total in the greatest racing series on wheels in the world.

Runner-up last night saw Bryan Smith campaigning his #42 Moroney's FastHog.com XR, and Sammy Halbert rounded out the podium on his #7 South East H-D-backed XR to gain a couple of points on series points leader Jared Mees, who finished in the 4th-place spot last night to still hold the lead in the standings 280-268 over Sammy.  2-Time and defending AMA Grand National Champion fell to 20 points behind series' leader Mees with a 6th-place finish on the #1 Zanotti Racing XR, with Brad Baker rounding out the top-5 on the #12 Dodge Brothers Racing XR.

A big congrats go out to Stevie Bonsey for his superb win last night, this fine young man has been forced to curtail his season's efforts this season due to lack of funds, but the one's he has been running he has been making some big statements, with last night's big win sealing the deal for the wayward team traveler.  Not yet on the pre-entry list for Saturday's final round in Pomona, here's hoping he can hook-up another great ride to close the season out with.  Great job man, we knew you could and would do it again.  Bravo!

The Goodwin Racing XR sits in the pits during round 4 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Springfield Mile I on May 27.  Jethro Halbert was running the #69 Goodwin Racing/Drew Massa Trans/SHR/Arai-sponsored XR this particular weekend, and brought the machine home to a 7th-place finish.

I believe this is Goodwin's first-ever win in The Rolling Thunder Show, as I am not that familiar with their effort, but a big congrats also goes out to this team for putting one of the best in the business in Stevie Bonsey on their mount and taking the big win last night in Tucson to beat the rest of the best.  Great job guys!

Here is the link to the complete results for round 15 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at Tucson International Raceway:

http://results.amaproracing.com/live/results/pdfresults/ft/2012/F1275/default.aspx

And a big thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track for not only the link to the results above, but for this gallery of shots from Tucson yesterday by AMA Pro Flat Track photographer Dave Hoenig:

http://www.amaproracing.com/ft/multimedia/gallery.cfm?gid=7669

Check out AMA Pro Flat Track's official press release on the penulitmate round of the 2012 season at the Tucson Half-Mile from yesterday!

Stevie Bonsey Captures AMA Pro Flat Track Win at Tucson Half-Mile

 

TUCSON, Ariz. (October 6, 2012) - The desert heat had no effect on Stevie Bonsey (Harley-Davidson/Goodwin Racing) as he shredded the competition during Saturday night's AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com and Lucas Oil main event at the Tucson International Raceway. Bonsey took the checkered flag by over a full second and recorded his best performance of the season. It's been five years since AMA Pro Flat Track has held an event in Tucson, Arizona but the high-octane racing action made it worth the wait.

 

 

Stevie Bonsey on the #80 Goodwin Racing XR750 took the lead towards the end of the first lap and went on to win the Tucson Half-Mile by over 1.1 seconds over runner-up Bryan Smith on the #42 Moroney's FastHog.com XR.  Sammy Halbert rounded out the podium on his #7 South East H-D XR750 at last night's round 15 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season.  The series heads to the final round in Pomona this Saturday, October 13.  AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.

"I came out and did it in front of the Arizona fans here tonight," said Bonsey. "My first victory was in California and luckily my second one came here in front of you guys. From start to finish, I felt good the whole race and I have to thank my guys for giving me this great opportunity."

Bonsey was the pole sitter and clearly had the fastest bike of the night. Sixth-place finisher and defending Grand National Champion Jake Johnson (Harley-Davidson/ Zanotti Racing) got the holeshot out of the gate but that lead lasted less than a full lap as Bonsey went a little lower on the groove off turn four and reclaimed the lead...and never looked back.

Bryan Smith (Harley-Davidson/Crosley Radio) was alone in second place for the majority of the race but saw his comfortable 1.56-second lead over Sammy Halbert (Harley-Davidson/South East Harley) diminish on the final lap. Fortunately for Smith, he was able to hold off Halbert on the final run up the front-stretch to claim an impressive second-place finish.

The bright side for Halbert is that he edged fourth place finisher and current GNC combined points leader Jared Mees to close the gap between them with one final race remaining.

 

AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles

All season long, the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles have excelled under the shadows cast by the twin-cylinder engines, and this week was no exception. Shayna Texter (DFW Honda) won her third race of the season and was sharp right from the get-go.

"I have a lot of fans here and I want to give a shout out to them," said Texter. "I also want to thank my team and sponsors; this was a big win for us."

Texter started from pole and when she surrendered the lead to Rodney Spencer Jr. (Honda/831 Pinnit) on lap 12, it looked as if she was going to fall short of the victory. However, on the last turn of the final lap, justice was served as the young phenom ripped the lead right back from Spencer Jr. just in time to capture the checkered flag by a slim .131 second margin. 

Spencer Jr. continued to stay hot as this race made for his second consecutive runner-up finish. Jason Isennock (Honda/Highs Dairy Stores) also impressed as he closed out the podium in what proved to be an intense battle for the third spot. AMA Pro Singles points leader Stephen Vanderkuur (Honda/Parkinson Brothers Racing) and Ryan Kearns (Honda/SM Racing) rounded out the top five riders, respectively.

Next Up

 

AMA Pro Flat Track heads to Pomona, Calif. for the The Law Tigers AMA Pro Flat Track Finals presented locally by Harley-Davidson of Pomona Valley and Glendale Harley-Davidson, scheduled for October 13, 2012 at the LA County Fairplex.

 

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.  For additional information contact: AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com

AMA Flat Track: This is For All the Lonely People That Think the Kawasakis Are Passing Them By in The Rolling Thunder Show

Round 10 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season sees 2-Time and defending AMA Grand National Champion Jake Johnson #1 on the Zanotti Racing XR and 2-Time AMA Grand National Twins Champion Jared Mees #9 on the Rogers Racing XR chatting up the newest member of the team-owners group in The Rolling Thunder Show, Ricky Howerton, who is responsible for building the #42 Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports powered by Eaken Racing Kawasaki-based mount that has taken the series by storm this season due to the mile riding capabilities of it's star rider, Bryan Smith.

Let's not get carried away too fast, as Rocket Ricky is a master at what he does and what he builds, no matter it be something he supplies one of his many IndyCar, NHRA or USAC teams that frequent his business, Howerton Products on Indy's west side, or whether he is building the latest missile to take the greatest racing series on wheels in the world by storm in just it's first outings and season on a mile oval.

But the real factor here when it comes to who does what and where in a 25-lap National mile main event on the AMA Pro Flat Track calendar belongs to the rider on the machine on the track with the other 17 or 18 riders who have fought it out throughout the day in order to put themselves in a position to race against the greatest in the world and in one of the most competitive racing series in the world.  Bottom line, no matter what you bring to the table in terms of innovation, newness and fan-fare, you still have to have that one rider who takes to the track and jumps in the seat.  And Howerton and Smith have combined for that one combination that has some in the series now crying foul and ready for the rules to be re-tweaked after just four of the team's five events in their maiden voyage together.

And no matter which way you spin what is happening to our great series now with the emergence of the Howerton/Smith rocket, and the re-emergence of the Werner-Springsteen Kawasaki Racing machines, the sport is finally celebrating and showcasing the parity that it has lacked since the early-mid '70s when factories like Triumph, BSA, Norton, and Yamaha went away, but also when Honda was forced to pack their bags and return to Japan in the late '80s.  And even with the leftover remnants of good machines in the early-mid '90s when Ricky Graham won his last title on a Johnny Goad-prepped Honda RS750 in '93 and Rich King won the last National Twins Series main event at the Joliet Half-Mile in August '98 on a Corbin Honda, the series went until May '10 before the Ohio-based Lloyd Brothers Motorsports broke out for their maiden win in the series with a Ducati 'L' twin at the hands of 2000 AMA Grand National Champion Joe Kopp at the Precott, AZ. mile event.

Of course, during the 2010 season, master tuner and former Harley-Davidson employee Bill Werner and his partner in crime, Jay Springsteen, had been working on and perfecting their new breed of Kawasaki 650R-based parallel twins, and it took all summer for their-then rider Bryan Smith to take the team's maiden wins in the long running series at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile and then eight days later at the Labor Day Weekend running of the Springfield Mile II.  But you didn't hear the wails from the other competitors then, as it seemed such a blip on the radar at the time, and the Werner Springsteen camp had a horrible season in 2011 that all but relegated them to 'also ran' status after their career season in that eight days time towards the end of the 2010 season.

But since that ground-breaking season, Howerton, USC Racing, the Scott Powersports team and several others have started campaigning the new breed of flat track speedsters and getting much closer to producing results that at least could at the time compare them to what the long-running and tired XR750 has done over the course of the last four decades.  And the LBM team is still trying to find that right combination with their big red Italian machine to get them back to the top of the box after several seasons of trying to perfect the power output of a new breed.  Just not yet in terms of long-running stat changers due to the fact that we are only in the third season of the new parallel twin being campaigned on the circuit, and by my count as of press time just four overall wins in the big bike class.

Of course, those wins have all come at big crowd and big racer turnout events, and have escalated the Grand National series to a new height of popularity with fans, sponsors and teams alike along the way.  Smith and Howerton's big wins this season in their second and fourth events together signaled the start of something new for the series, and also sent up a Coast Guard-sized flare to the legions of XR campaigners that has almost everyone doing the two-step and looking over their proverbial shoulders.  And of course, with one mile event left to run at the Santa Rosa event on September 30, their is a very strong possibility that their rocket could again blast to the win over the long and tired, but faithful XR camp.  And again, there is the possibility that it won't, ala the Springfield Mile I win that went to long-time XR campaigner Willie McCoy and the Lucas Oil Indy Mile win that saw Sammy Halbert finally claim that elusive first win on the big tracks to complete his grand slam of flat track.

There is a strong possibility that after this season that AMA Pro Flat Track will need to tweak the rules in the Twins Series for the 2013 season, starting with giving up another 1mm to the restrictors being required to run on the purpose-built XR, and maybe even mandating a minimum weight rule for the production bike-based Kawasakis, Ducati, Triumph, KTM and even the lone BMW/Rotax that has attempted several National mile events the last three seasons.  So be it, level the playing field and drop the green anew as the teams that are now knocking on the door of class dominance will just turn it up and bring their new game.  So it would and should be in any form of motor sports.  But is it time to start calling out 'dominance' or an overtaking of the series after just two wins?  I don't think so.

What we need to be celebrating is the new-look of vitality that these new machines have brought to the table, the new level of competition that takes the series away from the 'spec' look class that it has survived under in the last 15 or so years, and relish in the fact that there are innovators out there that are willing to bring something bright, new and competitive to The Rolling Thunder Show.

And the legions of long-time fans that can actually see real competition on and off the track after so long.  And as the Zanotti Racing, Rogers Racing, H-D Motor Co. and other top-level XR750 campaigners learn to tweak and for now, still dominate in the series on the other half-mile events and mile events that the so-far Ducati and Kawasaki haven't been able to get to the top of the box in, they have so far managed to make their long-running and 'tired' mounts still lead at the front in the long run and also will most probably still take the overall championship with at the end of this year.

Lap 1 of round 13 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season saw Jake Johnson on the #1 Zanotti Racing XR lead two other long-running XR teams in the series as the pack heads to the strip for the first of 25 go-arounds.  Following closely on his heels is Jared Mees on the #9 Rogers Racing XR and 3-Time AMA Grand National Twins Champion Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. on the #2 Screamin' Eagle H-D Motor Co. factory mount. 

JD Beach makes the first 'other' bike to get to the front on the #95 USC Racing Kawasaki, with Sammy Halbert on his #7 South East H-D XR holding off eventual-event winner Bryan Smith #42.  Behind them is Henry Wiles on the #17 Lloyd Brothers mount, Brandon Robinson on the #44 Werner Springsteen Kawasaki, Shaun Russell on the #28 XR, Stevie Bonsey on the #80 Werner Kawasaki, Jethro Halbert on the #69 USC Kawi and Matt Weidman on the #20 Scott Powersports Kawi bringing up the rear of the top-12 on the first go around.

Smith worked for the lead, which he finally took on lap 6 and continued to hold at the stripe when the checkers flew, but throughout the race was forced to also rider harder into the corners to make up for the lack of 'tractoring' that the XR riders have in terms of power output to the ground with the long-running and dominant make in the series.  While others admittedly had to ride harder and draft smarter on the straights, Smith has this mile thing figured out no matter whose or what make of machine he brings to the table, especially at Springfield where he now holds three wins, and easily could have been four if not for a disqualification at Springfield several years back due to a tainted fuel sample that saw his win taken away.  While riding an XR750.

In the end, with Smith taking the win, Halbert and Mees on XRs in the 2nd and 3rd-place spots, Beach in 4th, Johnson in 5th, Coolbeth and McCoy next in line, again on XRs, Jethro in 8th on the other USC Kawi, Robinson 9th on the Werner Springsteen Kawi, and Brad Baker filling out the top-10 on the #12 Dodge Brothers XR.  Four Kawis in the top-10.  Hardly something to yet get too worried about, but, in what could see some of the long-running XR teams bring something new and different to the table for the mile events for the 2013 season.  And great for them if they do!

The two men responsibile for starting it all in terms of bringing the new and innovative Kawasaki package to The Rolling Thunder Show look over the competition just before first practice gets ready to roll out at the Springfield Mile II on September 16.

13-Time AMA Grand National Championship-winning tuner and master wrench Bill Werner, and his long-time friend and associate, 3-Time AMA Grand National Champion Jay Springsteen paired together between the '09 and '10 seasons and signed Bryan Smith to campaign their then-new machines for the new season, and it took them just over 2/3's of the season to get their first win together at Indy in August, and then followed it up with another just eight short days later at the late summer running of the Springfield Mile II.

But as good as the 2010 season ended for the duo, the 2011 season also came apart at the seams for the team, never coming close to repeating or even finishing at the front for what must have seemed like the longest season ever for the legends of AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship racing.

But with the new year and some new vitality on the team in the form of former Expert Twins Champion Brandon Robinson on their #44 machine and the addition of '09 AMA Pro Flat Track Rookie of the Year Stevie Bonsey on their #80 machine at Indy and Springfield II, the pair are again seeing the fruits of their labor produce good, strong results.  Robinson has now scored two top-5s for the team, led a handful of laps at Indy and taken his best-ever Expert Twins result of 2nd at Indy, as well, behind Sammy Halbert.

And Bonsey won his semi races at Indy and at the Springfield Mile II round on September 16 to reward the team for his signing and to show that he, too, belongs on a top miler in the greatest racing show on wheels in the world.

But the question still remains, are any of them 'dominating' yet to the point of re-writing the overall history books down the road?  No, not yet, so it's still a little early to get your panties in a bunch over what is still just two wins in the 2012 season, again, by the Howerton/Smith rocketship group and rider.  If that were to happen, there would be many more 'crying foul' and then it may take a re-working of the overall picture in order to level the playing field.  But just not yet after two wins in the four mile events run so far this year.

Paul Carruthers, the editor-in-chief of Cycle News, wrote this great article in the most recent edition of CN about the cries being heard from a few of the XR750 competitors in the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Twins Series class after Bryan Smith took his 2nd win of the 2012 season on September 16 at the Springfield Mile II aboard the Crosley/Howerton/Eaken Kawasaki.

PC does a super job of comparing the parallels of the H-D vs. Honda battles in the '80s which eventually saw Honda force their hand and pull out of the AMA Grand National Championship after winning a slew of titles between the '84-'88 seasons.

Read on and thanks for looking this one straight in the eye and showing how good the competition, diversity and parity is in The Rolling Thunder Show now, thanks to what was started by Bill Werner several seasons ago in bringing a new player to the playground and what is being seen as the party crasher by some of the long-time competitors of the decades old H-D XR750:

http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20120918?#pg126